The Ultimate Mousewives

Winner: Nicky Johnston, www.nickysart.com.au

Well done Nicky!! Mum, Nicky Johnston, set up her website last year through Mr Site to sell her self-published children’s book “Go Away, Mr Worrythoughts!”. The book is aimed at helping children manage and overcome anxiety based on her own son’s journey dealing with an anxiety disorder. 

“When I began creating my website, I had no idea what I was doing,” says Nicky. “I had no website or internet knowledge at all. But with the help of the Mr Site support team I have managed to produce a fantastic website, a vital tool in successfully selling my book.

When I first got online, I had hoped on selling approximately 200 books through my website. However, since the launch of my book in July 2008, I have sold over 3000 copies, through my online bookshop, in Australia and Overseas too. I have had over 7000 visitors to my website, with endless emails, comments and feedback.  I have been overwhelmed by the huge number of parents and teachers who have contacted me in regards to their own “little worrier”. 

I have recommended Mr Site to many others, and I often tell people how my own brother is a professional Graphic Artist and Web Designer but I just couldn’t afford him! He has been thoroughly impressed by my website and all it has provided for me. It has been perfect.

My little venture in self publishing has become almost a full time job, and the benefit other parents and teachers have received from my website is simply priceless.”

Runner Up

Runner Up Nicola Rumsey, www.angelswithdirtyfacesuk.com

33 year old mum Nicola Rumsey has 3 girls aged between 9 years and 10 months. She set up the highly successful Angels with Dirty Faces UK in Autumn 2005 after the birth of her second daughter. The idea first came to Nicola while out shopping for her new baby when she started to feel frustrated at the lack of choice of baby clothing and accessories. She decided the only way forward was to create her own range, which she makes from home and sells on her website. Thrillingly, her range is now being stocked in John Lewis and Asos.

“Mr Site has allowed me to be creative and create the type of website I really wanted with minimum cost involved,” says Nicola. “It was easy to follow the step by step instructions, which is just as well as I am a complete technophobe! We have had much more business since setting up the website. The increase in direct sales from the public has been fantastic and potential customers and suppliers are able to view our products before attending the trade shows. For me success is being able to run my own business from my workshop having started with nothing and being able to provide for my family. I just love the fact that our products are all being made in our little workshop in Whitstable and are travelling into the hands of other mums all over the world.”

Runner Up

Runner Up Jane Maddern, www.janemaddernsoaps.co.uk

Mum of one, 41 year old Jane Maddern, set up her website 3 years ago to start selling her hand-made, home-made goats milk soaps and natural skincare products online and to promote her company to potential retail stickists. At 40, she resigned from her full time job and turned her “soaping” hobby into a full time business. With the help of her website, she now has an annual turnover of £35,000 and over 70 retails stockists nationwide.  

“I set up my website in order to promote my soaps to potential stockists and customers I met at craft fairs, a ‘point of reference’, if you like,” says Jane. “I honestly didn’t expect to get so many orders from my online shop! The website has really helped my business – I now receive trade enquiries most weeks and have a steady stream of online orders, including a number of loyal UK customers, plus one or two from Germany and Sweden. I just couldn’t believe my luck when I found Mr Site. It was so simple to use and very well priced. I just logged on, read the instructions, tap, tap, tap and hey presto, I had made my home page! Within a couple of hours I had a basic working website with an online shop. Believe me, I was gobsmacked. The hardest bit was deciding what to write!”